


Stay Near Me

by Lion_owl



Series: Winter in Camelot 2018/19 (standalone ficlets) [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bal Stays AU, F/M, Winter, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 03:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17337737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lion_owl/pseuds/Lion_owl
Summary: Hunith convinces Balinor to stay. Their first Yule as a family with baby Merlin.





	Stay Near Me

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'ed

Hunith remembers the day she had told him. She remembers it well. She’d found him in their bedroom, packing in a hurry.

“Going somewhere?” she’d asked.

“I fear Uther may have found out I’m here,” he’d said. “I should leave before you get caught in the crossfire.”

“Isn’t that for me to worry about?”

“You’ll be okay.” He had stopped his flurried packing and reached out to take both of her hands into his own. “I don’t want to leave, but I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because I was too selfish not to.”

“I appreciate your heroics, but I need you here,” she had removed one of her hands from his grasp and placed it on her abdomen. “We need you.”

“You’re with child?” he’d realised, his face bursting into a smile that quickly turned dark. “All the more reason for me to go. Uther won’t let an innocent child get in the way of his bloodshed.”

“All the more reason for you to _stay,_ ” she’d insisted. “We’re in Essetir. Uther has no jurisdiction here – last time he tried to send his men across the border, the king’s patrols killed them all immediately.”

“But…”

“No _buts,_ Balinor. You’re going to have a _child_.”

She had watched him ruminate on that, not daring even to breathe.

“I’m going to have a child,” he agreed, as if he had only just realised it. “Oh Hunith, that’s wonderful.”

I’m well aware that it’s risky,” she’d said, finally conceding his point. “But I don’t want to lose you so soon. If we have to flee, we’ll flee together.”

He’d buried his face in her hair as they’d embraced.

 

Seventeen months later, they were very little worse for wear, but Balinor couldn’t help being a little grumpy as they dragged a tree into their house.

“It’s going to take up too much space,” he complained. “Merlin won’t even remember.”

Hearing his name, Merlin looked up from where he was busy levitating what was supposed to be their dinner later, and giggled happily.

“When he’s older, we can tell him all about it,” Hunith said. “Maybe later I’ll make a sketch of you two playing together.”

“Come on, Merlin, put that back in the kitchen.” Balinor said, in his ‘ _look how long-suffering I am_ ’ voice, but his face was smiling. “When does Dilys arrive?” he asked as Hunith turned to rummage through a box.

“Tomorrow,” Hunith said. “I hope you two will play nice.”

Balinor looked mock offended. “When have I ever not played nice?”

Hunith laughed. It was very important to her that her husband and her sister got on, but they had very different personalities and she was a bit nervous. “Just promise you will.”

He moved to wrap his arms around her and raised his brow when her hand darted behind her back as she turned to face him. “I promise. For what it’s worth, I can’t wait to meet her.” he pawed, trying to get her hand.

“Good,” she said. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

He complied, and she brought her arms around his back, but still not touching.

“What are you hiding?” he whined.

“It’s for Merlin. Sort of,” she said, flicking her wrist and throwing the mysterious object towards her son. “Now, help me with the rest of this.”

When they’d done setting up for the Yule celebrations, they were sitting side-by-side on the rug. Balinor finally found out what she’d been hiding when Merlin sent it floating over their heads.

Mistletoe.


End file.
